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East Valreșia
East Valreșia, officially known as the Socialist Republic of Valreșia (Romanian: Republica Socialistă Valreșia, RSV), is a state that covers the eastern half of the Valreșian island, located on the naval border between Nordica province in the TBRE and the USSRT. The capital and largest city is East Brășani, with the second largest city being Sfândoara. The country borders West Valreșia, whose sovereignty it does not recognise and which the East Valreșian government views as part of its territory under foreign occupation. After the conclusion of the Second World War, the Kingdom of Valreșia came under the occupation of the soldiers of the Tabi'atstani Revolutionary Army. Following negotiations with the United States, the USSRT agreed to split the country into two, with West Valreșia coming under US (and later TBRE) control, and East Valreșia coming under Tabi'atstani control. The Tabi'atstani government then created a communist government in East Valreșia, leading to the formation of the Socialist Republic of Valreșia with Sorin Tănase-Cabdic as its leader. Officially East Valreșia is a single-party state following a Marxist-Leninist ideology led by the Valreșian Communist Party. However, the country has often been described as Stalinist and totalitarian, and since the beginning of the rule of Gheorghe Țăranescu in 1973, East Valreșia has increasingly become more nationalistic, although it is still considered an inseparable part of the Tabi'atstani bloc. The East Valreșian economy is a socialist planned economy, with all means of production being owned by the state through state-owned enterprises and collective farms. The majority of services such as healthcare, housing, electricity, and education are heavily subsidised and state owned. Most of the economy is focused on heavy industry and agriculture, with consumer products being imported from Tabi'atstan, Trevallyland, and Györmár-Kazvhalia. History Colonisation and formation of a Valreșian nation In 1736, the Russian Empire took control of the island known as NAME. Large scale Romanian immigration to the island began in the 1750s, with Russia being viewed by many Moldavians and Wallachians as a possible ally due to it being another Orthodox Christian country. Continued cultural and political strife in the late 1700s as a result of wars concerning influence in Moldavia, Wallachia and Transylvania, the Germanisation and Magyarisation of Transylvania, and the refusal of the Transylvania Diet to give Romanians equal political standing alongside the other Transylvanian nations further encouraged this immigration. The population of the island soon became majority ethnic Romanian, with the Romanian immigrants calling the island Valreșia. [WORK IN PROGRESS] They then set up a new kingdom and appointed Mihăiță Corneliu Petran as their king. In 1887, the Grand Monarchy of Kazemostan invited Prussian officers to help in the training and modernization of Kazemostani armies, with the Kingdom of Valreșia soon following suit. Although German cooperation with Kazemostan ended with the start of the Boxer Rebellion in China in Autumn 1899 as Shahanshah Shahin Nabavi of Kazemostan had denounced the Eight-Nation Alliance as "a racist coalition of white supremacists", German and Valreșian cooperation continued until the start of World War I on the 28th July 1914, when Valreșia declared itself to be on the side of the Allied Powers. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, large numbers of Romanians from Transylvania emigrated overseas, with many arriving in Valreșia. This wave of Romanian immigration to Valreșia would continue until the beginning of the Second World War. World War II Cold War During negotiations with the US concerning Allied operations in the Toy Islands, it was agreed that western Valreșia would become part of the American zone of occupation, with the TRA to pull its forces back by the 31st October 1945. However, as this day passed, TRA troops remained in their positions and showed no sign of falling back to the agreed border, thus sparking the Valreșia Crisis. Eventually, negotiations by Soviet officials and diplomatic pressure from the United States forced a Tabi'atstani withdrawal, with the last TRA troops leaving the US occupation zone on the 14th July 1947. Shortly afterwards, on the 23rd November 1947, the Valreșian Communist Party under the leadership of Sorin Tănase-Cabdic declared itself the sole legitimate party in East Valreșia, and announced the creation of a communist government. This was done with the support of the Tabi'atstani government, with TRA troops being deployed around important sites in major East Valreșian cities to prevent a counter-coup. Beginning in April 1955, the East Valreșian government began a forced deportation of peasants along the border with West Valreșia to less inhabited areas in the east. This was both to create a cordon sanitaire against West Valreșia and to intimidate the last independent peasants to join collective farms. Shortly afterwards in July, construction of fences along the border with West Valreșia began. The Ministry of Intelligence and Security also announced that anyone discovered to be plotting to escape would face a minimum penalty of ten years imprisonment. Orders were given to border guards to shoot anyone attempting to cross the border illegally. On the 22nd June 1961, East Valreșia, along with Györmár-Kazvhalia, Krakozhia, and the USSRT, signed the Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance of the Socialist Defence Community, marking the formation of the STO. By the early 1970s it had become clear to the East Valreșian leadership that the average West Valreșian was at least deeply suspicious of East Valreșia if not downright anti-communist, and hence attempts to create an indigenous West Valreșian revolutionary united front were abandoned in favour of a provisional coexistence, with the two countries announcing the "Joint Communique regarding the basis of relations East-West Valreșian relations" on the DAY MONTH 1972, providing the basis for direct communications between the two states whilst maintaining the status quo of mutual non-recognition. In 1973, Gheorghe Țăranescu was elected President of East Valreșia and General Secretary of the Valreșian Communist Party after the death of Tănase-Cabdic. Țăranescu tried to improve relations between East Valreșia and the Socialist Republic of Romania, as well as the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Relations with Romania would remain strong until the Romanian Revolution of 1989, although reactions from the SFR Yugoslavia were considerably cooler and less enthusiastic, owing to East Valreșia's position as a Tabi'atstani satellite state. Eager to pay off East Valreșian debts to foreign (particularly Western) countries, Țăranescu embarked on an austerity policy known as the "Period of Mobilisation for National Economic Independence" in the 1980s, leading to the decade becoming known as the Mobilisation Period. In 1987, the East Valreșian government adopted the Programme for the Socialist System of Production, marking the beginning of economic reforms in East Valreșia. With the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, civil resistance began in East Valreșia, and on the 7th October 1989, clashes began again in East Brășani between demonstrators and police, prompting the East Valreșian government to force out all foreign media correspondents and block all Western broadcasts. The next day, thousands of people gathered for a peaceful demonstration outside the NAME Church, which the police then surrounded using armoured cars and dogs. The authorities initially staged a mass arrest of all those leaving, but then moved in to the building and rounded up all the demonstrators. Units of the Ministry of Intelligence and Security's Patrie Guards Force then moved on key positions around East Brășani. On the 9th October, over 100,000 East Valreșians took to the streets of Sfândoara holding up banners with slogans such as "We Are The People!". Tanks and armoured cars were called in and opened fire on the protestors, resulting in the Sfândoara Incident, causing up to 1,000 deaths. East Valreșian rebels, emboldened by the uprising in Poldovia and outraged at government brutality, rose up against their own communist government on the 2nd November 1989, thus instigating the Laconian Revolt. The Tabi’atstani government, unwilling to accept any further loss of communist territory in the Toy Islands, deployed troops to support the East Valreșian government. Bloody street fighting ensued, with large numbers of casualties on both sides. By the 29th November 1989, the revolt had been put down, although a number of USSRT troops remained to maintain security. In 1990, the government announced that it planned to upgrade the frontier fences along the border with West Valreșia with electronic sensors. A state of emergency was also declared, citing the instability caused by the Laconian Revolt and the demonstrations in both East Brășani and Sfândoara, and Minsse (the Ministry of Intelligence and Security) was given widespread powers concerning the maintenance of law and order. Țăranescu began to relinquish some of his duties in 1993 due to poor health, with his close comrade Velkan Nicolescu's son, Corneliu Nicolescu, taking over most state functions. On the Xth X 1995, Țăranescu died of CONDITION and Nicolescu became General Secretary of the Valreșian Communist Party and President of East Valreșia. Shortly afterwards in 1994, the entire Toy Islands region was hit by drought, which caused a chain reaction of disasters. In one fell swoop, combined with a heatwave, the drought wiped out 60% of the East Valreșian harvest of 1994. Due to the shortage of rain, rivers across the country began to dry up, forcing the shutdown of reactors at the Funduniei Nuclear Power Plant. Not wishing to see a return to the shortage of the 1980s Mobilisation Period which had led to the Laconian Uprising, Nicolescu ordered that emergency grain reserves, thus preventing the country from suddenly falling into a humanitarian crisis, but a national emergency was still forthcoming, resulting in the Austerity Period which would last until 1999. Furthermore, on the 23rd November 1996, the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Socialist Republic of Valreșia, the East Valreșian government proclaimed the implementation of a Military First programme inspired by the North Korean example. Modern era In 2014, evidence emerged that East Valreșia was pursuing nuclear weapons technology. Geography Central East Valreșia is dominated by the Corândrel Mountains which surround the Pestemuntia plateau, on which is located the capital city of East Brășani. Climate East Valreșia has a temperate climate and is covered by large evergreen and deciduous forests. There is rainfall all year round, and although the weather is generally cool, it rarely drops below freezing. Administrative divisions Border with West Valreșia Construction of a frontier fence between East and West Valreșia began in July 1955. In 1990, the East Valreșian government announced plans for new high-tech installations along the border with West Valreșia. These included microwave sensors set 30 to 300 metres from the border, signal tripwires, seismic detectors, infrared beams, and other electronic sensors. Many of these electronic alarms and sensors were imported from Györmár-Kazvhalia. Plans were also made to eventually add automated sentry guns at some time in the future. In 2009, prototypes of an automated sentry gun, the NAME, were trialed by East Valreșian forces on the border. Although the NAME automatically detects intruders, human operators are still required to fire the weapons. Ultimately, it was considered too expensive, and has only been deployed in small numbers to complement human guards. Government and politics Despite serious challenges to communist party rule in 1989 from protests in East Brășani and Sfândoara as well as the Laconian Revolt, the Valreșian Communist Party continues to maintain its hold on power in the country. The leadership of East Valreșia is not typically perceived by the population as subservient to Tabi'atstan, and the government proudly boasts of the country's being independent from foreign powers, even from those countries on which it is dependent (namely Tabi'atstan). Tabi'atstani support has indeed been instrumental to the survival of the East Valreșian regime, with Tabi'atstan providing heavily subsidised fuel and other basic supplies. From a geopolitical view, East Valreșia is considered by Tabi'atstan to be a useful area to apply pressure on the TBRE by proxy and to tie down Teddy forces, although refusal to include West Valreșia as part of the Teddy Home Territories has led to the latter point becoming less relevant. Political ideology The official state ideology of East Valreșia is Valreșian National Communism (sometimes shortened to "VNC"), which mixes Marxism–Leninism with far-right nationalism and promotes principles such as moving the nation towards claimed independence through the construction of the national economy and an emphasis upon self-defence in order to establish socialism. It is inspired by the North Korean Juche ideology. VNC has been described as a pragmatic tool used to justify the oppressive rule of the Valreșian Communist Party due to the vagueness of the ideology. Through Valreșian National Communism, the East Valreșian government boasts of the independence of the country from foreign powers in comparison to West Valreșian "flunkeyism" towards the TBRE. Law enforcement and internal security Law enforcement in East Valreșia comes under the jurisdiction of the Valreșian National Revolutionary Police Force (VNRPF), which functions as a statewide police force, and the Security Troops, which serve as a gendarmerie loyal to the government. Although the VNRPF also helps to deal with riots and internal dissent, internal security is mainly the responsibility of the Ministry of Intelligence and Security. A paramilitary force also exists called the Steel Militia, which is under the control of the communist party. Foreign relations East Valreșia is a member of the Socialist Treaty Organisation and as such is protected by STO mutual security agreements. Considered a strategic military region within the STO bloc by Tabi'atstan, it is also protected by a force of five TRA divisions as well as other assorted Tabi'atstani units. Military The Valreșian People's Army is the military of the Socialist Republic of Valreșia, and has three branches; the Valreșian People's Ground Forces, the Valreșian People's Navy and the Valreșian People's Air Force. In total, the Valreșian People's Army has some 180,000 active personnel as well as 346,100 men in the reserve. Furthermore, the Valreșian People's Army is supported by the Border Guards, five divisions of the Tabi'atstani Revolutionary Army Ground Force and two aviation regiments of the Tabi'atstani Revolutionary Air Force, although the TRA units remain under Tabi'atstani command as part of the Group of Tabi'atstani Forces in Valreșia. Society Human rights Cult of personality Valreșian reunification Economy The East Valreșian economy is primarily based around heavy industry such as the production of aircraft parts and oil refining. There is also a large wine industry, as well as other agriculture. Other notable exports include camera lenses, Perinița automobiles, and wristwatches. East Valreșian is a major producer of steel, refined petroleum products, machine tools, locomotives and rolling stock, oil-field equipment, offshore-drilling rigs, and aircraft parts. The oil industry is a major sector of the East Valreșian economy. During the Second World War, Valreșia was a valuable supplier of crude oil and petroleum products for the Axis-aligned Toy Islands states. Synthetic fuel plants were also built during this time to allow the country to export even more oil. East Valreșia is also gifted with significant mineral reserves, particularly iron ore, coal, and chromite. East Valreșia's climate is ideal for cultivating fruits and vegetables. Major agricultural produce includes wheat, corn, fruits, and vegetables, with the main export crops being sugar beets, melon, and tomatoes. Fishing and aquaculture also comprise significant contributions to East Valreșian food production. Photographic equipment is a specialty of East Valreșia, and is a significant contributor to East Valreșian export revenues. East Valreșian cameras are popular in the rest of the Tabi'atstani bloc as they are considered to be of good quality, and are considered collectibles in the rest of the Toy Islands. 35mm colour slide film used to be another important export product, with East Valreșian brands being considered cheaper alternative to other mainstream brands available at the time. The industry also has military value, with lenses being produced for sniper scopes and other uses apart from civilian cameras. Up through the 1960s, the East Valreșian armaments industry was quite underdeveloped, mainly producing spare parts, clothing, optical instruments, and communications equipment rather than heavy weapons, and whilst some small arms and ammunition were manufactured locally, they were licensed copies of Soviet designs. However, with the rise of Gheorghe Țăranescu in 1973, East Valreșia aimed to become self-sufficient in weapons manufacturing, earning the ire of Tabi'atstan, but as a result also opening up opportunities to import Western technology. Many Western countries vastly overestimated the rift between East Valreșia and Tabi'atstan, and openly offered advanced weapons systems to Țăranescu's government. East Valreșia has a small automotive industry that produces vehicles mainly for local demand. Aside from FAU, other companies such as AVA and Bannerul Roșu also exist. Remittances from East Valreșians working in foreign countries such as Birshatar have helped bring in hard currency to the country. East Valreșian citizens wishing to buy Western products can do so at designated ExInt shops, but must also pay in either Western hard currency or foreign exchange certificates. Those without either may still be imported products and locally produced products of higher quality in Rafinat stores. Markets have also been used as a release valve by offering a wide variety of consumer items for those with money and an alternative path to success for those willing to take the risk to work outside official structures. Speculation and private enterprise are dealt with very seriously in East Valreșia, with peasants caught selling above the fixed price or found with more than a month's food supply being liable for as much as five years' imprisonment. Infrastructure Several oil refineries exist in East Valreșia, most of which are converted synthetic fuel production plants from the Second World War. The country's annual rainfall is suitable for hydroelectric power generation. East Valreșia has a nuclear power plant located near the town of Funduniei known as the Funduniei Nuclear Power Plant that has five reactor units. The facility was built by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited during the 1980s, and all five reactors are CANDU-type (CANada Deuterium Uranium) reactors. Transport East Valreșia's civilian maritime fleet is made up of 286 vessels, and the country has a well developed oceanic fishing fleet. After the Second World War, the new communist government expanded the shipyards at Comădești. The Comădești Shipyard is the largest in East Valreșia and has two drydocks, one for the construction of ships up to 150,000 tonnes deadweight (DWT), and the other for the construction of ships up to 250,000 DWT. There are also two additional floating docks with a capacity of 8,000 tonnes and 15,000 tonnes respectively. The national flag carrier of East Valreșia is TAVAL, which is based in Brășani Scară International Airport, locates southeast of and serving East Brășani. Science and technology Demographics East Valreșia has a Roma minority of 1,373,190 (roughly 9.45% of the population). Language The majority of East Valreșians speak a dialect of Romanian known as Valreșian. Russian is a common second language, and a small minority of the population near the border with West Valreșia speak various Laltofian dialects, mainly Tedofian. Religion Most of the East Valreșian population are adherents of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Education Almost all education in East Valreșia is provided by the state, with only very few religious schools. Education from the primary and secondary level education is free, whilst tertiary level education is available for low fees. The 1947 Education Reform Law stipulates that Marxist-Leninist principles will permeate all school texts, and also makes the abolition of illiteracy a major aim of the education system. Healthcare Healthcare in East Valreșia is free and provided by the state. Culture Society After the 1947 coup, a new constitution was put in place that brought about new laws regarding marriage and divorce, with the basis being the equality of both spouses. The minimum age for marriage in East Valreșia is set at sixteen for women and eighteen for men. Whilst religious weddings are not prohibited, citizens are strongly encouraged to opt for secular wedding ceremonies. Marriages with foreigners are banned except with the permission of the government. Under the 1947 constitution, divorce was made much easier, with either spouse being able to begin divorce proceedings for a wide range of reasons, including incompatibility of character, continued misunderstandings, and irreconcilable hostility. This was later changed to help support the country's pro-natalist policy, with divorce becoming very hard to obtain. Custody of children is given to the parent considered to have better moral and political understanding for the children's education. Music From the formation of the Socialist Republic of Valreșia until the late 1970s, popular East Valreșian musical groups and performers were required to sing in Romanian, and song lyrics were rigorously checked for possible anti-establishment messages. Popular East Valreșian bands include NAME, NAME, and NAME. Most East Valreșian musicians avoid political topics, as to perform about sensitive political topics would risk the end of their careers. The East Valreșian government organises a music festival every year called the Cîntarea Valreșia, with particular emphasis being put on Valreșian folk music. Visual art Literature All literature published in East Valreșia undergoes checking by government censors. Holidays and observances The two main holidays in East Valreșia are May Day (1st May) and Republic Day (23rd November). Theatre In the 1950s, the East Valreșian government promoted the formation of "All Workers' Theatre", which would employ workers and show plays about the lives of workers. These were not very successful, and were quickly overshadowed by the works of NAME, who quickly dominated the East Valreșian theatre scene and became the face of East Valreșian theatre to the outside world. Cinema and media East Valreșia's cinema industry is very active, and is one of the most prolific in the Tabi'atstani bloc. Architecture Buildings from the immediate postwar era in East Valreșia are typically of the Stalinist architectural style. Cuisine East Valreșia produces a soft drink known as socată, made from elderberry flowers. Sports The Cuthiada is a biannual multi-sport event organised by the East Valreșian government that was established to encourage mass participation in sports. The Cuthiada is promoted in schools, but has competitions for all age groups. It is named after the historical province of Cuthia. Category:States Category:Valreșia Category:Alliance of Toy Islands Category:Socialist bloc